The new targets are seats held by Jerry Weller and Ray LaHood, who are retiring, and seats now held by Mark Kirk and Peter Roskam, who won narrow victories last time and are locked in tough re-election battles.
"Democrats represent the party that wants to change Washington and change the set of policies coming from Washington. I'd rather be a Democrat going to this election than a Republican who has defended the status quo and defended the course abroad and at home for George Bush," said Rep. Rahm Emmanuel , (D) Chicago.
Illinois now has 10 Democratic congressman and nine Republicans.
A spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee says Congressman Emmanuel is doing wishful thinking and that special election results do not represent what the electorate will look like on Election Day.
